The Holly and the Ivy

Holly, Ivy and other greenery such as Mistletoe were originally used in the pre-Christian times to help celebrate the Winter Solstice Festival and ward off evil spirits and celebrate new growth.

When Christianity came into Western Europe, some people wanted to keep the greenery, to give it Christian meanings and to ban the use of it to decorate homes. The UK and Germany were the main countries to keep the use of the greenery and here are given Christian meanings:

Holly	The prickly leaves represent the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when he was crucified. The berries are the drops of blood that were shed by Jesus because of the thorns.
Ivy	Ivy has to cling to something to support itself as it grows. This reminds us that we need to cling to God for support in our lives.
Laurel	Laurel has been worn as a wreath on the head to symbolise success and victory for thousands of years. It was given to the winners of events in the original Olympic Games. It symbolises the victory of God over the Devil.
Fir & Yew Trees	Fir and Yew trees are evergreen and so signify everlasting life with God. Fir is also a very commonly used for Christmas Trees.